


Those days were darker

by fadedlikethelilac



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Dark, Gen, I don't even know what to tag this, If you do let me know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 11:11:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13523025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadedlikethelilac/pseuds/fadedlikethelilac
Summary: Those days were darker, the risks greater, sometimes the only way to protect the children was through fear.





	Those days were darker

“Those days were darker, colder…” He paused looking around at the other three. “Jack must never know.”

Tooth looked like she was about to object then stopped. “I guess you’re right,” she said.

The Easter bunny shrugged.  He didn’t particularly like Jack, so it wasn’t like he was going to go out of his way to talk to the boy. “I can’t really see any point,” he commented.

The sandman seemed to be the only one in full agreement. Nodded his head vigorously, but then again, he had other reasons for his conviction.

The other three looked at him. There was a thoughtful look in tooths eye. “Yeah,” she said her conviction tightening. “Even if Jack deserves to get  _ all _ his memories back, It’s not my secret to tell.”

* * *

And these are those times. The dark times, the cold times, the times when it was fear that ruled the lands…

“Want to see something fun?” The painter asked his friend.

Pitch smiled, “What are you thinking?” he asked.

The painter whirled his paintbrush like it was a baton. “I think that it is high time summer was over.” Around them the leaves changed, turning from green to the bright colours of autumn as though someone were painting them.

Pitch laughed, the hash laugh echoing through the evening air. “You’re right, and the days are far too long,” he said stretching his arms out over his head as though he himself could actually cause the days to grow shorter and the nights to grow longer. Perhaps he could, because with each passing day the nights were longer and the days shorter until there was barely any day at all.

The painter laughed. Whether it was his friend that caused it or not, with winter coming, the nights would grow longer.

The golden figure turned around quickly as though he had actually sensed the young eyes watching him. He flung out his hand throwing its contents at the child. The child jumped back in shock, but seemed unhurt. Then he just seemed to collapse, falling asleep on the floor.  

“Good Job Sandman.” Pitch walked down the street a tall and dark, an almost regal figure. 

The painter, an old man icicles hanging from his beard and even one hanging from his nose, a few steps behind. “That’s what happens to children out past their bedtime the sandman will get them.”

The Sandman gave a small chuckle. “Yes, I suppose you’re right frost, Though we shouldn’t leave him out here he’ll catch his death.”

The painter — Father Frost, old man winter,  _ Jack frost _ he, sometimes she, had many names — simply chuckled, but Pitch picked the child up, earning him a strange look from both Frost and Sand.

“What? I only ‘get’ naughty children, this ones a good kid.”

“Being outside well past his bedtime counts as good?” said Sand.

“He was just trying to bring the cat in. Oh shit Frost grab the cat.”

“Why do I have to.”

“Just do it Frost, Sand is our lookout.”

Frost rolled his eyes but made a grab for the cat all the same. For some reason the cat wasn’t particularly happy in the arms of the literal embodiment of winter.  

They deposited the boy and the terrified cat on a bed in one of the cottages. Pitch just hoped it was the right cottage, the other two didn’t seem to mind too much, the child was safe after all. That was what they did. They protected the children. 

Sandman, bringer of sleep and all that came with it. Jack frost, the bringer of winter, snow frost and icicles. And Pitch, The boggie man, Fear itself. It was never about good or evil it was about looking after the kids, and if the threats of the cold night kept them safe then so be it. 

But as time passed that changed, and somehow bribery became a thing.  St. Nick, Easter, Tooth. The New guardians. Frost had called them with a sneer. It was clear right from the start that frost didn’t like them. He had a special hatred for Easter who melted his snow every spring. 

It fell to all out war pretty soon, the three old guardians struggling to find scraps of belief slowly pushed out by the new. In the end, and it was a brutal end, Sandyman lost his voice, Frost vanished, and when he eventually returned he did so without his memories. And pitch fell, left alone in the dark, there was no space for fear and terror in the new order. 

**Author's Note:**

> Here is is, what do you think?  
> I have literally had the seed of this in my mind since I first saw rise of the guardians.   
> At this point I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this or not, I think I'd kind of like to, maybe explore what happens if/when Jack gets these memories back, or Pitch dealing with the fact that the new jack is not the same as the old.   
> But yeah if you liked this please comment of kudos.


End file.
